where do i get wood

[Smax]

i was thinking of getting a piece of driftwood or something to put in my tank. could i go to the beach or river and pick up a random piece that i like? its to go in a tank with guppies and pleco and kuli loaches.

[Adrienne]

Of the two choices you have down there I would go to the beach first as the wood there is more likely to be suitable - probably cleaner to start with. Try somewhere like the Normanby coast line.

Then you could try the Temuka or Pareora river beds. The wood from them is more likely to be pine though - if its washed down the river - which I understand is not good for tanks.

Take it home and either boil it for a bit or use a water blaster to get rid of any gunk in it.

[MarkLB]

Hi Smax.

I've used wood from the beach before. Keep in mind that it's called drift wood and it will float. I've got a peice in my comm tank that I've weighed down with a rock. As time has gone by I've reduced the size of the rock. It's been in there for 6 months and still needs a small rock to keep it in place

[Adrienne]

I put a bit of fishing line around my wood and just used a fishing sinker to hold it down in place. Worked well and you couldn't see it.

[Caryl]

I get my driftwood from the Hokitia river mouth. It has drifted so far by the time it gets there it is already waterlogged and sinks with no problem. Lovely native rata and rimu. Best time to go is after heavy rains.

[Afrikan]

We get huge amounts of wood wash up here in the Bay.... I take a heap home.. nice heavy pieces.. more of the dense kind we go for... and throw a heap in big old troughs outside and the stuff that doesn't sink right away, sinks pretty much in a month or so... and alot of stuff I find sinks straight away.. I just leave it to soak and pick it out when need be 8)

[doch]

i will be down to get a supply african live on the wrong side of the coast up here for driftwood

[Afrikan]

If you ever need any doch then yell out... when we come up that way, which we will at some stage at the end of the year for a holiday, I will bring a whole heap up if you like 8)

[Smax]

thanks guys. went down to browns beach and found a couple of nice pieces that would look really good in my tank. i've given it a wash to remove all the sand and shit will it be ok to put into my tank or will i need to wash it further? it nice and heavy too so hopefully it'll sink by itself.

[Ira]

Nope, that should be all good.